General Manager - VP

General Manager – Division VP

Start Date: Immediate

Location: Cleveland, OH

Compensation: $160,000 - $190,000 OTE + Equity

About us

SSA is a fast-growing founder- and employee-owned acquisition platform in the scientific instrument space revolutionizing the scientist's experience of regulation-mandated services. Our platform primarily provides testing, inspection, and calibration services to pharmaceutical, medical device, and research companies across the United States. We've completed 16 acquisitions to date and are currently serving over 5,500 customers.

We were recently recognized by Inc. Magazine in their 2024 and 2025 list of 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies and continue to drive scientific innovation and patient care.

Position

We will be announcing a new company acquisition over the next few weeks and need a General Manager to shadow the current CEO & President as he transitions out of the company over the next 6 months. The General Manager – Division VP will be working directly with the VP of Operations and COO and be expected to execute lean strategies while ensuring that business processes are continuously improved to maximize efficiency, facilitate cross-site & cross-functional collaboration, coach local teams, serve as a central resource for knowledge and best practice sharing, and drive a culture of operational excellence.

The ideal candidate will be a high octane, driven and growth-minded leader that will champion SSA's largest region. This leader will drive operational excellence, solve challenging and complex business problems, and be a part of building a world-class company.

Responsibilities (including but not limited to)

• Execute strategic deployments associated with implementation of lean systems in a fast-paced environment.
• Work with COO & VP of Operations to implement operational strategy to meet current and future business needs.
• Provide strategic leadership in this 40+ person organization.
• Lead the development and deployment of lean strategies across the company, aligning them with the SSA's business objectives.
• Establish a culture of continuous improvement across the company and related functions.
• Ensure alignment of lean principles with organizational goals, driving operational excellence
• Oversee field operations for multiple companies, ensuring a dynamic and world-class workforce.
• Participate, plan, facilitate and lead directly and indirectly in kaizen events.
• Monitor and improve operational efficiencies, cost control, and resource allocation.
• Prioritize a world-class customer-centric approach.

Drive Performance Metrics:

• Define and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to reflect the identified priorities and drive focus on continuous improvement.
• Use data-driven insights to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and report on the impact of initiatives to senior leadership.
• Drive accountability for the achievement of goals and targets across the Midwest region, and related functions.

Desired Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience leading cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication and influencing abilities, capable of changing driving.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and data-driven decision-making skills.
• Proficient in Lean tools and techniques, including Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, 5S, and root cause analysis.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, global environment with a focus on results and continuous improvement.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to solving problems.
• Change agent can influence organizational culture and drive transformation.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build relationships at all levels of the organization.
• High level of adaptability and resilience in managing complex, challenging initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully in complex and emerging business and project areas, leveraging interpersonal skills and technical skills to optimize results.

Benefits

• Equity ownership in SSA
• 401(k)
• Dental & Vision insurance
• Health insurance (100% for employee and family)
• Life insurance
• Generous Uncapped Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Relocation Assistance